Looking back on life with a clear view

Published: Sunday, February 10, 2013 at 5:25 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, February 10, 2013 at 5:25 p.m.

When I was in the seventh grade at Schriever Grade School, I can remember, vividly, the morning one of the teachers asked me, “Irene, can you see?”

She told me I had my eyes too close to the paper I was writing on or reading. I told her I could see quite well. She left it at that. Never again did she broach the subject of my vision.

I went on to high school, graduated, held a job for about a year or so, then married and in very few years had three children. I guess maybe nine or 10 years had passed since my teacher’s remarks about my vision. But, I began to notice that I was having problems reading my newspaper; the words would all jam together, and I couldn’t make out the words on the newspaper’s pages. I decided to see an eye doctor. He prescribed glasses for me, and I’ve been wearing glasses ever since. I was 27.

My first glasses were single focus, as I aged I needed bi-focals, and for quite a number of years I’ve been wearing tri-focals. For a short while I tried to wear the tri-focals with no lines, but I never could get accustomed to them. I went back to the ones with the lines.

That’s what I’ve been wearing ever since. My first big surprise when I first started wearing tri-focals is that I never had a problem getting used to them. I wore them out of the eye doctor’s office and went straight to work, not even noticing a change in the way I could see.

All the while I was thinking what a blessing it was to be able to see clearly. When I had gone home with my very first pair of glasses, I was amazed at the change in my children. I could see the little creases in their arms and legs and under their necks. How precious they were. I had never seen such cute baby teeth.

Everything about the children was surprising. And to think, I had missed all that for many years just because I had no idea I couldn’t see the way I should have been able to see.

Now that I’m older, I go to see my eye doctor for an exam once a year. I’ve had cataract surgery on both eyes and can see very well. I still wear glasses, but I think my vision is better than it ever was.

I can’t remember this very well, but we must have been worried about finances when I got my first pair of glasses. I’m sure we worried about how we’d pay for them. My husband was making only about $25 a week, and I wasn’t working outside the home.

Of course, everything was less expensive than they are now, but unexpected expenses still took a good chunk out of a paycheck. And, like most mothers, I felt guilty getting something for myself when we could have used the money on the children instead. But I could see. I could read my newspaper. I could see all the little creases and dimples that graced the faces, arms and legs of my children.

After buying that initial pair of glasses, whenever I needed glasses, I didn’t feel bad about getting a new pair. We both knew how important good vision is, and we added that to our budget when it was necessary. There was no point in sidestepping the fact that new glasses, when needed, were a necessity — not a luxury.

Many of our children also wear glasses now. I guess it runs in the family.

For those who are wondering why I don’t wear contacts, I just can’t put anything that close to my eyes. I saw a lady once with the most beautiful blue eyes I’d ever seen. She told me she was wearing contacts. If I could have worn contacts, I think I would have chosen that color.

Talk about gorgeous. With blue eyes, who knows, I might have been at least close to being pretty.

Irene C. Michel, a native of Terrebonne Parish, is a columnist for The Courier and Daily Comet. She can be reached at 876-3252 or ICMwriter84@gmail.com.

<p>When I was in the seventh grade at Schriever Grade School, I can remember, vividly, the morning one of the teachers asked me, “Irene, can you see?” </p><p>She told me I had my eyes too close to the paper I was writing on or reading. I told her I could see quite well. She left it at that. Never again did she broach the subject of my vision.</p><p>I went on to high school, graduated, held a job for about a year or so, then married and in very few years had three children. I guess maybe nine or 10 years had passed since my teacher's remarks about my vision. But, I began to notice that I was having problems reading my newspaper; the words would all jam together, and I couldn't make out the words on the newspaper's pages. I decided to see an eye doctor. He prescribed glasses for me, and I've been wearing glasses ever since. I was 27.</p><p>My first glasses were single focus, as I aged I needed bi-focals, and for quite a number of years I've been wearing tri-focals. For a short while I tried to wear the tri-focals with no lines, but I never could get accustomed to them. I went back to the ones with the lines. </p><p>That's what I've been wearing ever since. My first big surprise when I first started wearing tri-focals is that I never had a problem getting used to them. I wore them out of the eye doctor's office and went straight to work, not even noticing a change in the way I could see. </p><p>All the while I was thinking what a blessing it was to be able to see clearly. When I had gone home with my very first pair of glasses, I was amazed at the change in my children. I could see the little creases in their arms and legs and under their necks. How precious they were. I had never seen such cute baby teeth. </p><p>Everything about the children was surprising. And to think, I had missed all that for many years just because I had no idea I couldn't see the way I should have been able to see. </p><p>Now that I'm older, I go to see my eye doctor for an exam once a year. I've had cataract surgery on both eyes and can see very well. I still wear glasses, but I think my vision is better than it ever was.</p><p>I can't remember this very well, but we must have been worried about finances when I got my first pair of glasses. I'm sure we worried about how we'd pay for them. My husband was making only about $25 a week, and I wasn't working outside the home. </p><p>Of course, everything was less expensive than they are now, but unexpected expenses still took a good chunk out of a paycheck. And, like most mothers, I felt guilty getting something for myself when we could have used the money on the children instead. But I could see. I could read my newspaper. I could see all the little creases and dimples that graced the faces, arms and legs of my children. </p><p>After buying that initial pair of glasses, whenever I needed glasses, I didn't feel bad about getting a new pair. We both knew how important good vision is, and we added that to our budget when it was necessary. There was no point in sidestepping the fact that new glasses, when needed, were a necessity — not a luxury.</p><p>Many of our children also wear glasses now. I guess it runs in the family.</p><p>For those who are wondering why I don't wear contacts, I just can't put anything that close to my eyes. I saw a lady once with the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen. She told me she was wearing contacts. If I could have worn contacts, I think I would have chosen that color. </p><p>Talk about gorgeous. With blue eyes, who knows, I might have been at least close to being pretty.</p><p>Irene C. Michel, a native of Terrebonne Parish, is a columnist for The Courier and Daily Comet. She can be reached at 876-3252 or ICMwriter84@gmail.com.</p>